The Nicodemus enterprise., 1887-08-17
G0rHAMs MONEY GODS.
Syrus Field Ten Times a Millionaire in
Spite of Jay Gould's Squeeze.

n's friends stoutly maintain that he is
and that even his real estate is held by
Jay Gould and Russell Sage. Blu
that is not true. Mr.. Field has los
perhaps $1O,0OO,OOO during the pas
month, but he is not a banrupt. HI
mas Still about $10,OOO,OOO left. Th.
washington building, which is occu
pled by lawyers, bankers and brokers
is worth $3,00O,OOO; Mr.. Fields cit,
mouse with its contents, is worth $50,
VUO; his newspaper, the Mail and Ex
press he values at $500, 900; his coun
Try seat and forty cottages at Irving
ton' on the Hudson, are worth 81 ,OOO,.
oOO' and in addition to this he owns q
Oig block of Anglo-American cable
sOock' New York Central stock, and
securities that are worth $4,000, 900.
9o 1t will be seen that he is still com
ioftahiy off SO far as money is con-
cerDed.
tie is out of Wall street now and out
oi speculation. The chances are that
ne VIII put his business in shape and
go abroad for awhile. He is tired of
work. he says he wants a little play
now. 81 am entitled to it," he said
lew days ago, "and mean to have
Who is the richest man in town. is
question often asked here.
John Jacob Astor undoubtedly. His
fortune is placed at 100000, 900. A
, ndy sum, indeed, but Jay Gould is
pushing him pretty hard, and the Van
uerbllt boys are close behind the king
OF Wall street. Here is list made up
by avail street broker that is as near
Iy accurate as any such estimate can
De: Cornelius Vanderbilt, 100000
600; w. X. Vanderbilt, $4,000. 900:
Russell Sage, 100000, 900; Winslow,
Lamar q Co., $50, 900; ID. o. Mills,
Whitelaw Reid's father-in-law, $2O,-
100000; Pierrepont Morgan, $18, ,OOO,-
900; Bob Garrett, $4,000, 900; Fred
Vanderbilt, $15,O00,OOO; Sidney Dill
lon, $1O,000,000; Addison Cammack,
$8,OOO,OOO; John Rockefeller, the
Standard Oil man, $1O,OOO,OOO; Hi
Rockafeller, his brother, $8, ZOO. 600:
August Belmont, $4,000, 900; Cyrus
WI Field, $4,000, 900; Deacon S. V.
White, nember-elect of the new con-
gress, $7,0OO.0OO; R. P. Flower, So
1000; Wash Connor, Jay GoLld's old
Proker, who has just married the di-
erced wife Of the ex-lottery king.
lmons, $1,000, 900; Victor Newcomb.
200 eeee00;-H Harry Hart, who is manip-
ulating Pacific Mail, $4,000, 900; Os-
wald Ottendorfer, editor of the Stats
Zeitung, $5,000,000; James Gordon
Bennett, $10,000,000; Austin Corbin,
$4,000, 900; Erastus Winan, $3, 900, 900;
and there are score of others who are
worth from 81 10000 to $4,000, 900
each. But why go onp JaY Gould is
likely to make $50,OO0,0OO more in
five years, and the men named above
will all add to their vast wealth if thev
live few years.
A plain, ordinary, every day sort of
millionaire counts for Dothing here.
You can stand in Trinity church steeple
and throw stone in any direction and
hit millionaire. They are very COM
mon, and are really considered of no
account.
The Astors have seldom dabbled in
Wall street speculation. They prefer
real estate. No family in America has
SO kept its wealth. within itself as the |
Astors, who continue the financial |
policy originated by old John Jacob
Astor about the beginning of the CEN
tury. 1t is commonly supposed that
ne made the bulk of his fortune in furs.
lie formed gigantic project for ex-
tending the business from the north
western lakes to the Pacific by means
OF various trading posts, by establish
ing central station at the mouth of
the Columbia, and then, by making a
depot at one of the Hawaiian islands to
supply China and India direct from the
Pacific coast. The project was partially
carried out but meanwhile Mr.. Astor
saw greater opportunities for making
money IN city real estate than in the
fur trade. He began to buy extensively,
and the growth of the town was so
rapid that in some cases the property
increased hundredfold.
When he died forty years ago he was
estimated to be worth 500, 600, 900. He
left to his son, William B. Astor. the
buIs-of his estate. to be managed in
the interests of the family. William B.
left It in turn to his son. John Jacob.
and now John Jacob has intrusted it to
his son-his sole child, indeed-Wiu-
lam Waldorf Astor, ex-minister 10
Rome, who, by the way, is writing a
society novel. This virtually amounts
ty an entail and prevents the wealth
from being scattered, though there is
small danger of that, the AsIors being
noted for conservatism and thrift. They
have always invested in real estate,
buying few bonds or stocks, and have
evinced great care aud discretion in
their investments. Their constantly in
creasing surplus they have, so to
speak, put into the ground, reaping ex-
traordinary profits thereby. They
never SELL they are ever buying, buy
ing, but keeping their transactions as
secret as possible. No one but them
selves and their agents have anv ,dea